Work Never Begun
by Kolbie Ru-Ru
Summary: This is a series of excerpts/unfinished segments from new chapters of my on-going and new fics. 11) And Then I Died [KHR!], 12) When I Doubt, You're My Belief [Naruto]
1. It's a Revolution, I Suppose

_Can anything be sadder than work left unfinished? Yes, work never begun._

_- Christina Rossetti_

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><p><strong>Story: It's a Revolution, I Suppose<strong>

**Summary: Shinra may monopolize the majority of Gaia, but none of their finely detailed protocols deal with accidental dimension-hoppers or magical ninja. Toss Shunshin no Shisui into the mix, and the situation is as far from 'under control' as possible. (OR: Shisui wakes up as Cloud Strife, and Shinra is utterly unprepared.) No pairings. AU.**

**Category: Naruto/Final Fantasy VII crossover**

**Chapter 2**

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><p><strong>III.<strong>

"Zack Fair."

His eyes widen slightly in surprise, and his lips twitch in amusement. Zack Fair, huh? Shisui eyes the young man in contemplation, delaying his own introduction long enough to be considered rude, but Zack's hand doesn't waver, nor does his smile falter. The Uchiha could easily play up the amnesia card, wring whatever information he can from the guy, and then subdue him if necessary and be on his way. No matter which way he looks at it, this situation is less than favorable for him, and using someone had never really been an issue for him morally, providing it was for a good reason. It would be easy.

However...

Bringing his own hand up and, grip firm, completing the handshake, he reveals casually, mouth quirked in a half-smile and switching the names as is called for, "Shisui Uchiha. Nice to meet you, Zack."

...he doesn't need to. More than that, he doesn't want to. Shisui had planned on committing suicide, had gone through with it, if ultimately unsuccessfully, and Konoha had (has) no more use for him. The Clan can no longer be saved; Shisui had thought _he_ was beyond such a thing as well. It's a heavy burden for Itachi to bear, he knows. Leaving all of it on his cousin's tiny, already weighted shoulders had been a decision he'd made, but it had not been made lightly. Even more than Shisui, Itachi strives for peace, no matter the cost. Shisui thought he'd paid for some of it, but death would have been a relief in comparison.

Now he is stranded in unfamiliar territory and embarrassingly weakened with no inkling of an idea as to how or why. Part of him thinks he deserves it. Most of him wants the promised eternal sleep. The rest of Shisui's muddled consciousness is in control, however, and it's this part that urges him to be as forthcoming as the guy helping him.


	2. Nothin' Ever Lasts Forever

**Story: Nothin' Ever Lasts Forever**

**Summary: Except when it does. Time Travel/Loop.**

**Category: Naruto  
><strong>

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><p>"Sasuke! You're awake!"<p>

His eyes fly open, his entire body tensing involuntarily as he sits up, only for a blur of pink to cloud his vision. _Sakura_. Her arms wrap around his strangely lethargic body, hugging him tightly, and he lets her, confusion and the grogginess from sleeping too long dulling his cognitive abilities. He blearily takes in the rest of the room (white, clean, machines hooked up to his body; Conclusion: hospital) and eventually zeroes in on the others surrounding his bed.

The rest of his old team stare back at him, along with the Hokage, and the relief and concern about him etched onto their young faces is _so wrong_. It makes him _livid__regretfulhapp- _His mind _screams_ at him to run away, get away, far away from here, but he doesn't move. Presumably, he's just awoken from a prolonged slumber, and then there's the drugs still in his system; he's entirely too tired to do anything more than stay in an upright position, and that's mostly because his ex-teammate is keeping him there.

Since he's physically inhibited, he attempts to clear the fog from his mind and puzzle out the current situation. This is enemy territory, but then, why isn't he imprisoned or his chakra suppressed? There's also the fact that the Idiot is visibly younger than Sasuke had last seen him, which had only been a few months ago. Is it a ploy to make Sasuke let his guard down via the appearance of a once-trusted teammate? Surely, they couldn't believe such a thing would work on anyone, much less him.

"It's about time you woke up, Sasuke-teme," The Idiot grins at him cheerfully. Pointing a thumb at the Hokage, he says, "Me and Pervy Sage went and tracked down Tsunade-obaa-chan to cure you; she's supposed to be a really good medic."

He narrows his eyes at the non-sequitur. Why would he pretend he doesn't know the _Hokage_? Is he assuming Sasuke doesn't remember who replaced the Third? Something about this conversation rubs him the wrong way, even ignoring the weirdness of it all. It's almost as if he's heard it before...?

Hitting The Idiot once on the head, the Hokage snaps, "What did I tell you about calling me 'granny', huh, brat?!"

"I don't care what you look like! You're still an old hag!" The orange-clothed ninja retorts, quickly stepping behind Kakashi for protection as the village leader descends on him again.

Huffing in irritation, the woman points out, "You're supposed to be _grateful_, brat." Abruptly, she turns a shrewd gaze on him, looking him over expertly. "You alright, kid? There's nothing physically wrong with you." The fact that he might have _mental_ scarring goes unsaid, but the occupants of the room understand it, regardless. Sakura squeezes him more tightly, and The Idiot's face contorts with undisguised worry.

"What happened?" He demands hoarsely, not bothering to answer the woman's inquiry. Bluntness has always been his preferred method over subtlety anyway.

The Hokage and Kakashi don't outwardly react to his memory loss(?), while the moron steps out from behind cover and starts babbling with a scowl, "Che. Of course you wouldn't remember, teme." He crosses his arms and continues, "Your brother and this fish-guy showed up in the village and attacked Kakashi-sensei and tried to attack me before you turned up and tried to fight him and got your ass kicked and then he did some genjutsu thing to you, and then you and Kakashi-sensei wouldn't wake up, so me and Pervy Sage went on a journey to get Tsunade-obaa-chan to come fix you."

He takes all of his former teammate's words in, recognizes the sheer impossibility of said words, and wonders idly if his cracked mind has finally shattered completely. He thinks back to his last clear memory (_bloodpainregretwhydoyoubelieveinm-)_ and can't find it in himself to be at all surprised by this development.

Sakura - who is also much younger in appearance - finally stops clinging onto him and leans back, wiping her eyes, but she doesn't attempt to vacate her spot on his bed. Still sniffling slightly, she points out in the same haughty tone of voice Sasuke vaguely recalls her using when correcting the Idiot from his long-buried memories, "You forgot the part where she's our new Hokage, Naruto."

The boy mutters something unpleasant about the village leader, who in turn takes it upon herself to cause him more physical harm, resulting in another session of bickering. Sakura's hand stays firmly wrapped around his, even as she watches the spectacle with a small smile, and he can feel his old mentor studying him intently without even glancing up. His eyes never stray from his lap, wherein his free hand has balled into a white-knuckled fist.

Either Sasuke is reliving his own memory in dream-form, someone has cast a powerful illusion on him, or he has somehow gone back in time. The first one is unlikely; he would be able to change things were he simply asleep. The second suggestion is laughable. It's not arrogance fueling his belief that no one would be able to best him in his specialty - simply fact. _(Besides, there's no longer anyone alive strong enough to do so.)_

...Time travel, huh? Something stirs within him, an ugly, bitter thing. His mouth curls into a self-deprecating smirk because _of course_ he couldn't have traveled to before the massacre, to a time wherein he could actually make a difference. It's fitting, in a way. He's always taking one step forward and two steps back - always achieving his goals only to find out he's made things worse.

"Maa, why don't let Sasuke rest? He's only just woken up, after all," Kakashi-sensei suddenly proposes, cheerfully. Ignoring the Idiot's squawk of protest as he and Sakura are nudged out of the room, alongside the Godaime, the masked man goes on, "We have a mission to do soon, and I know neither of you have been-" The voices die down as the door closes, and the lighthearted atmosphere Sasuke hadn't even noticed vanishes with them.

He lies down and stares unseeingly at the paneled ceiling. What is he supposed to do now? The burning hatred that had kept him going even after every failure has been extinguished; there's nothing left now - only _griefpainlossdeathturmoil_. Maybe once, he might have jumped at the chance to right his wrongs, but hasn't he already proven that everything he touches eventually turns to ash? Death clings to him, like a cloak, doggedly following his footsteps no matter what he does or where he goes.


	3. When I'm Caught On Fire

**Story: When I'm Caught On Fire**

**Summary: Kagami demands to know why the hell this is happening to him of all people; he's a born and bred basketball player, damn it! He also kind of wants to punch that Tsunayoshi kid in his understanding, compassionate face. (OR: Kagami turns out to be a mafia boss, and the GoM repay unspoken debts.) AU. No Pairings.**

**Category: Kuroko no Basuke**

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><p><strong>I.<strong>

"Playing basketball again, eh?"

The casual tone with which the observation was spoken does nothing to stop the shiver from wracking his body, and it is with great trepidation that Kagami turns his head slightly to take in the deceptively calm expression on his mentor's face. He represses the urge to gulp and, instead, begins to get angry. Okay, yeah, sure, he was injured... yesterday. But his idiotic Sun Guardian had been too busy catering to the mass of fangirls surrounding him to notice the bullet, and Kagami hadn't had enough time to call forth his flames to incinerate it. Knocking Kise out of the way had been all he could do.

So what if the shot nicked his shoulder in the process? It was _only_ a graze, and there was _barely_ any blood. With the way everyone's acting, you'd think he'd lost an arm or something.

Gritting his teeth, he turns around fully and grunts out, "I'm fine."

Riko merely shoots him an unimpressed look before gesturing to the newly blood-stained bandages on his shoulder. He spares them a single glance, his gaze firmly on the woman slowly sauntering toward him. Her voice is sickly sweet as she points out, "If you'd just stayed in bed like a good little mafia boss instead of needlessly aggravating your wound because of your ridiculous obsession," Imaginary arrows pierce his body as the scolding continues, "_I_ could be enjoying a relaxing bath with a glass of wine, and _you_ wouldn't be in danger of bleeding out."

Again with the exaggerations! Growling now, he spits out, "I wouldn't _have_ to sneak out of bed, and you wouldn't _have_ to_ be_ here if you weren't such a mother-hen."

Suddenly, the temperature of the room drops a few degrees, and Kagami has only a moment to regret his decision to antagonize this woman before he is being forced to the ground in a familiar crab hold and struggling to breathe. Laughing cutely, as if she isn't rather hypocritically exacerbating his injury, she asks, "What was that, Taiga-chan? Who's a mother-hen?"

Stubbornly refusing to capitulate—Give the she-demon an inch, and she'll take a mile—he says nothing, ignoring both the stinging pain in his shoulder and the failed Arcobaleno radiating dark energies above him.


	4. No Revenge, No Life

**Story: No Revenge, No Life**

**Summary: Sasuke is heavily wounded after his battle at the Valley of the End, and Orochimaru's henchmen have yet to whisk him away (not that he'd admit to needing any such help.) A curious meeting with a familiar face leads to staggering implications and some much needed enlightenment. Time travel. AU. Genfic.**

**Category: Naruto**

**Chapter 2**

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><p><em>Children, hypocrisy - That's why I give; you can take it from me.<em>

_If you don't, won't live to see one last of act of tragedy._

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><p>"Sasu...ke?" Sakura breathes the name beside him in disbelief, her voice little more than a whisper, and Naruto whips his head around to confirm with his own eyes that despite the fact that their mission had fallen through (when they'd been greeted by Kabuto, who'd easily seen through Yamato-sensei's disguise, and then Orochimaru, which had lead to an epic fight only for both of them to explode into smoke, having either been clones all along or replacements while their originals escaped), despite not even learning of Orochimaru's base, much less locating it, their wayward teammate <em>(always and forever) <em>is standing before them, expression blank but whole and alive and _there_.

"So, this is your old team, eh, Sasuke?" Someone finally breaks the oppressive silence, tone curious, and Naruto breaks eye contact with Sasuke, only now noticing the four figures surrounding him. There is a red-haired female sporting glasses glaring down at them from the Uchiha's right, and next to her stands a rather large man with orange hair, eyes darting between his team nervously. The one who'd spoken is male with a shark-like grin and a giant, _familiar_ sword strapped to his back.


	5. Cruelly Moving Forward

**Story: Cruelly Moving Forward**

**Concept: SI/OC is reborn as a KHR! character.**

**Category: Katekyo Hitman Reborn!**

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><p><em>"It's too late to regret. Reality is just cruelly moving forward.<em>  
><em> - Tobi (Naruto Shippuden)<em>

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><p><strong>Prologue<strong>

My death was gruesome.

I'd been returning from somewhere - After all this time, the finer details are lost to me - after dark in one of the seedier areas of my neighborhood when this man (whose face I can scarcely recall) popped up out of nowhere - or maybe I just hadn't seen him until he was right on top of me - and yanked me into an alley. I'd been scared frozen, embarrassingly enough, and hadn't even put up a fight.

Anyway, long story, short: He mugged me and then plunged a knife into my gut, repeatedly. I suppose I should be grateful he hadn't been a rapist or a cannibal, which would have ruined any remaining dignity I'd have had left after being one of the stereotypical movie victims I'd once scoffed at.

But enough of that. You're probably more interested in what happened _after_ that, huh? That's what this story's about, after all.

The 'afterlife' wasn't like anything I'd ever imagined. There was no fiery pit of despair and endless torture or pearly, golden gates seated majestically upon clouds, nor was there an all-consuming void of darkness in which I floated as I awaited my appointment with Death.

It was everything and nothing. It was light _and_ darkness. There were no individual souls frolicking about; there was no longer an "_I"_. There was only _"we" _and_ "us". _Calling it the 'afterlife' is incorrect. It _was_ life. It was _living_ without all of the stress or heartbreak or worries of _Before_. When I was alive, my greatest fear was being alone. _There was no such thing there - no loneliness_. We were _one_, always together, always in harmony.

Hate and sorrow, love and happiness - none of that existed there. It was serenity; it was peace. Looking back on it now, the word I would use to describe it best would be _apathy_.

I was able to forgive my murderer easily. Loathing was a concept I could no longer grasp. I did not even concern myself with the people I'd left behind. Logically, I understood they would move on, and eventually, they, too, would venture to that place and know tranquility.

Speaking of moving on, souls constantly appeared and disappeared there; whenever a gap in the entity that was _us_ opened, another few dozen souls would fill it up. I'd never thought about where they went; I didn't really ever think at all. Our 'minds' were connected; my thoughts were their thoughts and vice versa. No one else pondered much, either, once they'd settled in.

Even now, I have no way of knowing how long I'd been there. It could have been mere moments or an eternity. Time had no meaning to us, after all, and there were no changes - excluding the soul transfers - or events that could be used to measure such a thing.

My own departure from that place was gradual and so natural that I didn't question it; or, perhaps, I was simply indifferent to it. My consciousness shifted between _us _and _I_ until I eventually adopted the individual body as my own. As I stated before, it's impossible to tell time in that place - again, though, maybe no one cared enough to do so - but I can speculate that my 'reincarnation' began when I was born and only successfully ended when I - the body I'm inhabiting - was three years old.

I _was_ unconcerned about this development - to a degree - but now that I was back in reality, I could actually _feel_ things again. And I _hated _it. Well, 'hate' is a strong word, and since my time in that place, I haven't _really_ been able to experience strong emotions - only echoes; everything was toned down. It makes me wonder if maybe somewhere along the way, I'd lost of piece of myself. Everyone else (or, at least, the souls in that place) had gone through the reincarnation process as well, but I have yet to meet anyone who is distant and older than their years.

Regardless, I'd been safe and content, and now I was _alive_ and could succumb to heartache and depression and all of the other awful things life has to offer. I didn't think it was a fair trade. Still, even if I didn't see a point to this world, I wasn't suicidal; I wouldn't kill myself just to return to that place, even if I so desperately wanted to. When I was alive the first time (that I remember), I hadn't been able to picture my future, but death hadn't been an option then, either.

So I lived.

You might have noticed I haven't given many details about my past life, and I don't intend to; it's not relevant to the story I'm trying to tell. However, in order to understand me a bit better, I'll need to divulge _some_ things.

I was an eighteen year old, Caucasian, American female - legally a woman, even if those older than me rarely acknowledged me as an adult - when I died. I was considered quiet and shy, but I _chose_ not to speak incessantly around strangers and even friends. It's an unfortunate fact of life that people can be two-faced; I've witnessed first-hand 'close' friends of mine act genial towards one another and then insult each other as soon as one of them leaves the room. That's not to say _all_ of them were superficial, but I was only ever completely honest and open with my family.

How is any of this of any import? In this new life of mine, I was reborn as a little boy. Once upon a time, I might have been embarrassed by such a thing, but as with my emotions, _that place_ changed my view of gender. The notion of different sexes held no meaning there; we didn't have physical bodies, and our 'minds' were all connected - men and women alike. And, as stated before, my transfer into this body was perfectly natural. I felt as at home in this new form as I did in my old one - male reproductive organs included.

The differences don't end there, however. Whereas before I'd been a brunette, _now_, I had a head full of blond hair. My nationality had changed as well; I was born and raised in Italy. I suppose I should also mention that my memories had fused with this body's, so I knew the paltry amount of words it had absorbed in my 'absence'.

Oh, perhaps the _most_ important revelation of that transitory time period: The world I've been dumped into isn't the boring, normal Earth I'd come from. It's a world wherein mafioso have special powers, and middle school students are apparently equipped to save it _with_ those powers - the world of Katekyo Hitman Reborn!

It's _also_ supposed to be fictional, but, _well_, I'd never really bought in to the whole 'reincarnation' thing, either. I wonder, does that make Akira Amano our 'Creator'? Technically, I existed _before_ I came here - which brings up another great point. I should have taken the chance the meet Amano-san while I was in the other world, so I'd be able to smugly say I'd already _met_ my maker. But I digress.

You're probably wondering, oh so curious voices in my head, what part I play with the aforementioned super-mafioso. I could explain why I'm involved with the mafia and how I affect the KHR! world, but why waste my time doing that when giving you my name would do so with much less effort on my part?

I am Dino, soon-to-be(?) boss of the Chiavarone Famiglia and eventual mentor/big brother figure to Sawada Tsunayoshi, the Vongola Decimo.

No pressure, eh?


	6. If The Sky Comes Falling Down

**Story: If The Sky Comes Falling Down**

**Summary: For you, there's nothing in this world I wouldn't do. (OR: AU!Sasuke finds out that the canon world kind of sucks.) AU/Time Travel. No Pairings.**

**Category: Naruto**

**Chapter 2**

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><p><strong>I.<strong>

...Or, rather, he and Sakura disappear into the forest, as any decent shinobi with half a brain cell _would_, and the Idiot - in true idiotic fashion - apparently decided the best course of action was to remain out in the open and challenge their sensei - their as of yet unflappable, untouchable, unimpressed _jounin_ sensei - to a one-on-one fight. Sasuke is _also_ decidedly unimpressed and awaits the inevitable beat down (and, with any luck, blow to the kid's ego) with no small amount of vindictive pleasure.

Arms crossed and eyes squinted, the Idiot demands, looking entirely too proud of himself, "You and me. Right now. Fair and square. Let's go!"

"Hmm?" The masked man lets out in exasperation. He points out after a moment of staring at the blond, perhaps in the hopes the Idiot actually had some sort of plan, "You know, compared to the others, you're a little bit... weird." Sasuke very nearly snorts at such an understatement.

Annoyed, the Idiot retorts childishly, "Oh yeah? The only thing weird here is your haircut!" He then charges the jounin once again, yelling like a moron.

Sasuke pays little attention to the resulting mockery of a fight, pondering on just how, exactly, this rag-tag team of imbeciles is supposed to pass. He's getting kind of irritated at having to compare, but the first time around, Team 7 had passed easily. He and Naruto had worked together effortlessly - training together for years tends to build up some sort of teamwork; they'd learned each others' moves and techniques in order to one-up one another - and Sakura had had enough common sense to realize the objective of the test and had offered to join them in capturing the bells. Kakashi-sensei had then commended them for their camaraderie and quick-thinking, and Team 7 had been officially formed.

He senses Sakura hiding underneath bushes on the opposite side of the forest, far enough away to not be instantly noticed (by anyone without the ability to sense via chakra) but close enough to watch the Idiot fail to prove his strength and competence to any of them. At least she isn't completely useless, he muses.

Nevertheless, he'll have to allow all three of them to fall prey to the jounin before they can plan a counterattack. This serves several purposes. Firstly, it'll be easier to convince the Idiot to work with him when the blonde thinks there isn't any other option. Secondly, he knows the masked man will be suspicious if Sasuke doesn't even attempt to retrieve the bells on his own; he has no doubt his file describes him as arrogant and unwilling to 'play' with others. And finally, Sakura needs to understand just _how_ useless she is before the situation he'd recounted earlier inevitably occurs. Perhaps being thoroughly beaten by a _real_ shinobi will knock some sense into her.


	7. The Art of Timing

**Story: The Art of Timing**

**Summary: "Sometimes being a friend means mastering the art of timing..." Rin moves to Australia and comes back a totally different person. Except he's got a tag-along. (OR: Koizumi Itsuki barrels his way into Rin's life and stubbornly refuses to leave - But that's okay 'cause no one's asking him to.) OC-insert. Possible Rin/OC.**

**Category: Free! - Iwatobi Swim Club**

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><p>Rin strides away after the pool fiasco - and, really, how could they not have known? The school's been <em>abandoned<em> - and Makoto watches on, uncertainly. _'What happened to you?'_ He wonders, _'You used to smile so brightly you'd light up the room, and now...'_ Haru and Nagisa remain silent beside him, and Makoto begins to consider going after the redhead or attempting to cheer his friends up - _some_thing. He's saved from having to choose, however, when the entrance to the pool slams open, banging against the walls loudly, and an unfamiliar kid stands there, eyes lighting up when they land on the retreating Rin.

"_You_!" He snarls, stomping the few feet to the source of his ire. "You _left _me!" He punctuates each word with a jab to the chest, tone clearly broadcasting the fact that Rin has committed the most heinous of crimes.

Rin merely scowls at him, knocking his hand out of the way. "I told you not to follow me."

"So?" The friend(?) throws back at him, clearly unconcerned with the swimmer's logic. "I did anyway, and _you left me_. I could have gotten killed! Or kidnapped! I've never been here before, you know! How can you-" He stops himself mid-rant, eying the redhead curiously. "Why are you half-naked?"

Predictably, Rin grunts, "It's none of your business."

Ignoring him, the boy takes a look around the room for the first time, gaze roving over them and zeroing in on Haru, who is still in his jammers, and the empty pool. Realization dawns on him, and his anger morphs into vibrant amusement. "Did you seriously-?" He starts to ask, laughter bubbling out.

"_Shut. Up._" Rin commands with a heated glare, cheeks faintly tinted pink, and visibly willing the floor to swallow him whole and save him from his embarrassment. The blond is doubled over, laughing breathlessly, and Makoto can't help the grin forming on his own face. Maybe his old friend isn't gone, after all - just hidden.

"You're so _dumb_," The boy manages, gasping for air yet still chuckling a bit. He eventually sobers, straightening from his hunched over form, and points out, imperiously, "_This_ is exactly why I followed you to Japan. You couldn't tie your own shoes without me."

So this new kid must have met Rin in Australia and then returned home with him. Makoto sees Nagisa perk up at this information, his eyes burning with curiosity. Before the redhead can dispute his Australian friend's declaration, Nagisa blurts out, "Who are you?"

Rin scoffs at them and turns his head dismissively, but the blonde regards them with interest, bouncing over to stand before the three of them. Green eyes flitter back and forth as the kid says excitedly, "I'm Koizumi Itsuki, and Rin's told me all about you guys!" Makato quickly glances at said boy, who seems intent on ignoring all of them. He's about to speak when the kid - Koizumi-san - waves him arms frantically and demands, "No, wait! Don't tell me; let me guess!"

Without waiting for an answer, he points a finger dangerously close to Nagisa's face and says, "You're obviously Hazuki Nagisa." Said boy nods eagerly, clearly infected by Koizumi-san's enthusiasm. The appendage swivels to his own face as the Australian announces confidently, "And you're definitely Tachibana Makoto; you seem so nice I want to hug you and let you solve all of my problems for me at the same time." He nods in affirmation, but his head tilts to the side in confusion at that last part. Eh?


	8. No Honor Remains

**Story: No Honor Remains  
><strong>

**Summary: Shima, Bon, and Konekomaru are on an epic journey in an RPG world filled with _none_ of the helpful hints or chance meetings and _all_ of the unyielding merchants and outrageous plot holes. The main hero doesn't even get the (hypothetical) girl. He's not complaining, though, 'cause Rin looks _good_ in that armor. Shima/Rin. Possible side pairings (but probably not.) And humor is guaranteed.**

**Category: Blue Exorcist/Ao no Exorcist**

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><p>Okay, this is just the <em>bare bones<em> - stuff I _had_ to write down because if I didn't, I wouldn't have been able to sleep. I don't even have a plot in mind for this. It may never be written, _but_ here's a taste of it anyway.

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><p><strong>Scenario 1:<strong>

Squire/Guard (idk): "What business have you here, travelers? The palace is not open to commoners."

Shima: "We have urgent matters to discuss with the king."

S/G: "Every Tom, Dick, and Harry thinks their business is urgent. What makes yours any different?"

Bon: "It involves the war between [insert cool country name] and [insert other country name]; we have pertinent information that might put a stop to it."

S/G: "That _is _urgent news. Hm. Very well, then. Come along." [s/g leads them to king's private chambers & knocks on door] "Sire, you have visitors." [doesn't wait for answer & lets them in.]

Shima: "King [insert name], we have important-" [he cuts off when he gets a full view of the king, who is clearly a skeleton] "Uh, where's the king?"

S/G: "Why, he's sitting in plain site, commoner. Speak your business quickly; Sire gets tired easily these days. Weary from the war brewing, no doubt."

Shima: [exchanges Look with Bon & then deadpans] "...Or it's because, you know, he's dead."

S/G: [horrified, aghast expression] "Egad!" [raises voice] "Guards, come quickly! The King's just been killed!"

Shima: "You've got to be kidding me."

Bon: [heavy sigh] "Somehow, I'm not even surprised."

And then, I dunno, they escape and regroup with the party.

**Scenario 2:  
><strong>

Shima: [stabs (I'm thinking random NPC) ally in the back & the blade protrudes through the front] "_I'm_ the traitor, actually."

Rin: [horrified, disbelieving expression] "No way! It can't be true!"

Konekomaru: [shocked/frightened] "No... Shima... Why?"

Shima: [laughs softly, pulls blade out of person, who slumps gracelessly to the floor] "Why? Heh, well, I wanted power, obviously. There's no way I was going to be Paladin with my brothers-" [stops mid-rant, confused] "That can't be right." [pulls out script and flips through it, then reads a page. expression lights up in realization] "Oh! This is the wrong script. My bad." [tosses script behind him; it lands on the npc's corpse]

Rin: [smiling in relief] "Whew! That was a close one. I'm glad it was just a mix-up."

Shima: [shrugs] "Sorry, sorry. Let's continue with the journey, shall we?"

Konekomaru: [crying, tackle-hugs Shima] "Don't ever do anything like that again!"

Shima: "Whoa! I promise, I won't!"

Rin laughs, and the scene fades out. The random NPC is soon forgotten and never mentioned again.

**Scenario 3:**

Shima and Bon wait in line at an item store. There's only one lady in front of them.

Shop Guy: [to lady leaving] Thanks for your service! Come again if you need anything else! [then turns around and spots the party; immediately says] "Sorry. We're closed."

Shima: "Eh?"

Bon: "The sign says 'Open 24/7.'"

Guy: "That's the sign for the blacksmith."

Shima: "But it says 'Item Shop' on it."

Guy: "Must be a typo."

Shima: "Under that, it says, 'We're the only Item Shop in town.'"

Guy: "Cleary, it's a mistake."

Shima: "And under _that_, it says: 'Don't be fooled. The blacksmith's is on the other side of town; this is definitely the Item Shop.'"

Guy: [nonchalant] "Look, what do you want me to do? I said it's not mine."

Bon: "We _want_ you to sell us some damn potions."

Guy: "We're closed."

Bon proceeds to try to strangle the item shop guy, while Shima holds him back, for no discernible reason other than maybe to stop them from getting kicked out of yet another town.

**Scenario 4:**

The party enter a town. Some guy comes running up to them, seeming like he has something urgent to say.

Guy: "Hero! Hero!"

Shima: "I _have_ a name."

Guy: "Hero, we have a monster infestation. Could you take care of it?"

Shima: "No."

Guy: "Thanks, Hero. Just talk to the town mayor for details about the quest."

Shima: "I said 'No.' I don't wanna. You don't even know my name."

Guy: "You're the best, Hero!"

Guy wanders off, and Shima pouts until the party either convince him to help or leave him there.


	9. Have Heart, My Dear

**Story: Have Heart, My Dear**

**Concept: Shiba Kaien is reborn into the Naruto world. **

**Category: Bleach/Naruto crossover**

* * *

><p><strong>I.<strong>

The forehead protector gleams proudly atop his mess of black spikes, and Kaien regards the long sought after symbol with equal parts joy and sadness.

It's been three years since he regained his memories - of a life in another world, of all things - and even now, he feels conflicted about the training of child soldiers. There had been children in Soul Society, but shinigami officers had all at least been a few decades old, if not centuries - _not_ adolescents. And more than that, rather than uniting together to protect the innocent from creatures such as Hollows - which Kaien has concluded do not exist here - these youth are being taught to kill other human beings. He understands why, of course. With the power of chakra available to anyone, order needs to be maintained, lest history repeats itself and the weak are taken advantage of (as is detailed clearly in their history lessons.)

At least he's ended up in a hidden village that values lives and friendship above all else - the Will of Fire, his sensei call it. (And isn't that weird? He'd still had superiors as a lieutenant, but he hadn't called anyone 'sensei' since he graduated Shin'oo Academy.) Kaien has another name for it - _Heart._ He chose to become a shinobi because he wants to protect life _and _honor; so he grins at his image (which looks exactly the same as it had when he'd been young the first time around) and then sends Nejibana his feeling of amusement at her playful teasing about him being in love with himself.


	10. OB Halloween One-Shot

**Story: My Reality is Your Illusion, Baby**

**Summary: Namimori toes the line between normal and utterly insane even more than usual, and it's up to Hibari and an unwilling, unexpected companion to figure out why. AU. Reincarnation. No Pairings. One-shot. [Companion Fic to Obnoxious Bonds]**

**Category: Naruto/Katekyo Hitman Reborn! crossover**

**Notes: This is a scrapped idea I had for a Halloween-themed one-shot. I'm probably not going to write it, but I don't want this to go completely to waste... So here's an overview of what would have happened.**

* * *

><p>- Hibari wakes to find Kusakabe dressed like Jūgo and is, of course, startled and instantly suspicious. Kusakabe thinks Hibari has been training too hard and tells him that he should rest. Hibari attacks him and demands an explanation, which Kusakabe can't give him. He realizes the man isn't lying - normal behavior pattern, solid eye contact, no concealed emotions - and lets him go, considering the possibility of an illusion before dismissing it. Even when he'd fought Mukuro's real illusions, he'd been able to sense the boy. Now, he can only sense Kusakabe and Hibird, who flutters in to land on his head.<p>

- He heads out to find The Baby or Sawada, who is usually the cause for supernatural trouble in Namimori and who would most likely know of the hitman's whereabouts. He doesn't tell Kusakabe about the strangeness of the situation, realizing the boy is clearly involved somehow - whether voluntarily or involuntarily - nor does he phone in his information network, which Kusakabe has access to.

- What he finds is more inexplicable changes. He bumps into Ryohei dressed as Rock Lee, who greets him enthusiastically before hounding Gokudera Hayato (dressed as Sakura) into a date. The two run off into the sunset, with Gokudera tossing dynamite at Ryohei who dodges them and continues to profess his extreme love.

- He eventually meets a completely befuddled Tsuna, who thankfully(?), is also aware that something is not quite right. Tsuna then shifts between sticking close to him (since he's the only other 'sane' person) and shrinking away from him in terror (because Hibari is scary!)

- They investigate the rest of the school - and find a drunk Bianchi and even _more_ perverted Shamal having a drinking contest in the nurse's room; only Tsuna's terrified reminder of their goal stops him from biting them to death - and then spread the search to the whole of Namimori.

- Hibari doesn't even entertain the idea of them splitting up to cover more ground. He knows Sawada would be next to useless on his own, and since he's the only other one who is unaffected, Hibari wants to see if there are any gradual changes to his behavior (as might have happened with the others) or if the two of them simply haven't gotten into contact with who- or whatever has caused the transformations.

- In the town, they find Lambo (dressed as Naruto) vandalizing buildings and terrorizing civilians - shouting "Lambo-san is the greatest, dattebayo~!" - while a bun-haired I-Pin (dressed in a pink Chinese-styled blouse with red pants, as opposed to the usual red and black) scolds him. However, upon seeing Hibari, her face turns red, and the countdown for her Pinzu Timed Super Explosion begins. Lambo escapes while everyone is distracted, and I-Pin soon follows as she flees in embarrassment.

- Hibari, _thoroughly irritated_, has a shadowed expression that makes Tsuna flinch back in terror. He phones Kusakabe and has the boy reroute a few DC members to the disaster area to clean up the mess.

- Tsuna suggests Takesushi - to see if _Yamamoto_ is normal or knows what's going on - so they head there and find the boy (dressed like Suigetsu, with shark-like teeth) and Squalo (dressed like Kisame, sharp teeth included) dueling it out in the middle of the street. ["I'll defeat you, Squalo-senpai!" Yamamoto shouts with an unnerving smile as the two swordsmen cross blades.]

- Tsuna is obviously surprised at his friend's sadistic grin and attitude, as well as his appearance. Hibari recognizes the outfits and personalities; he'd been close to Suigetsu and had met Kisame while in Akatsuki. He isn't too surprised since he'd recognized the boy's innate ability as an assassin and inherent (though toned down) blood lust. He tells none of this to Tsuna, however, who is becoming increasingly exasperated with Hibari's non-reactions to all of the craziness.

- "What is a member of the Varia even doing here?!" Tsuna thinks despairingly.

- Reborn pops out of a bush or something at some point - dressed as Kakashi, of course - and tells them that something strange is happening at the abandoned amusement park, where the Kokuyo Gang are hiding out. Tsuna laments the fact that he can't actually tell if Reborn is _Reborn_ since the hitman already cosplays a lot. Hibari doesn't comment on it and simply stalks off toward said park, Tsuna hastily following along behind him.

- There, they meet Hinata!Chrome, Kiba!Ken, and Shino!Chikusa. Ken greets them with either enthusiasm or hostility, perhaps commenting on their smell. Chrome merely looks nervous and glances around frantically. When Chikusa steps forward to talk to them/whatever, Tsuna cautiously asks who he is, and the boy freaks out in his own way.

- When they get inside the gang's main hideout/where Mukuro was last time, they are met with three black silhouettes, and neither Hibari nor Tsuna can identify anything other than their gender, which is obvious when they speak.

- "He's grown up well, hasn't he?" The soft, pleasant voice of the woman breaks the tense silence, and Hibari jerks as if he'd been slapped, alarming Tsuna.

The taller man on the left of her answers in a stern yet unmistakeably fond tone, "That's my boy." Hibari's eyes widen in disbelief.

A gentle, warm laugh comes from the other side of the woman. "You always did wear your heart on your sleeve, otouto."

The moonlight shifts, then - for night had fallen quickly - and the three suddenly become visible. Hibari falls to his knees, seemingly more fragile than Tsuna had ever seen him.

* * *

><p><strong><em>And<em>, I haven't planned anything beyond this point - hence its 'scrapped' status.  
><strong>

****Credits: **The suggestions for Chrome, Ken, and Chikusa's reincarnations are from **Hikagi**. The suggestions for Squalo, Lambo, Bianchi, and Shamal are from **Guest** - a guest reviewer - whose review can be found on the review page for Chapter 5 of Obnoxious Bonds, near the bottom. (I realize these are supposed to be guesses, but I hope you don't mind if I credit you anyway.)**  
><strong>**


	11. And Then I Died

**Story:** And Then I Died

**Summary: **Dino hasn't always been a bartender making below minimum wage and living off of tips, but, then again, he hasn't always been a lot of other things either. He's resigned himself to the never-ending cycle until this life's Hibari Kyouya happens upon his bar and becomes his very own regular. "Order something other than tea." "Why should I?" "Because this a bar, damn it!" Hibari/Dino. Oodles of humor.

**Category: **Katekyo Hitman Reborn!

* * *

><p>The flow of men with pinched, unpleasant faces attempting to drown their woes after a presumably long day in a stuffy cubicle and lively, rowdy college kids looking for a good time and a whole lot of alcohol finally disperses around two in the morning, leaving only the regulars. Dino has grown rather fond of them - if not for their company, then for their blessed appreciation of silence.<p>

He grabs a rag and begins wiping down the bar mechanically, knowing very well that his manager tends to swoop in like a hawk at any sign of idleness. With only the occasional murmur of the bar's occupants and the muffled noise of the outside world, the blonde soon finds himself lost in thought.

Dino hasn't always been a bartender making below minimum wage and living off of tips, but, then again, he hasn't always been a lot of other things either. He'd been the boss of a mafia family - and a scrawny, apathetic teenager before that. He'd made his famiglia prosper. He'd helped change the bloody, ruthless mafia into something _worth_ being apart of. Heck, he'd even saved the world a few times. And then, he died.

Except, he didn't _stay _dead.

Like any normal person, he'd thought of it as a 'second chance.' The circumstances of his new life had been altered slightly - his mother was the boss before him, not his father, Tsuna was eighteen when they met, etc. - but despite that, he'd been able to correct any mistakes he'd made before and live a fulfilling life. When he'd closed his eyes for what was supposed to be the final time, he hadn't had any regrets.

And yet, he'd opened his eyes to an unfamiliar blue ceiling not a moment later.

He's not quite certain when the do overs began to feel daunting rather than exciting, or when the smiling faces of loved ones began to send shards of pain lancing through his heart rather than warmth, or when the prospect of death began to sound appealing rather than horrifying. Perhaps, it's when he realized there was no way _out_.

Nevertheless, at some point, he removed himself completely from the formula he'd been following and pursued different avenues. (It was, he thinks with a dull ache in his chest, almost too easy to erase his friends and family from his life entirely.) He's been an assassin, a baker, an information broker, a kindergarten teacher, a singer, a professional athlete, an author - the list could go on forever.

He'd 'woken up' as a sixteen year old this time, the only son to the owners of a successful chain of bars in Italy. His family had long since moved away from criminal activities over the endless repeats, excepting the odd existence every now and then. (Funnily enough, whenever Dino has the time and resources to check on them, Tsuna and the others are all always involved with the mafia somehow, whether they are apart of or firmly against it.)

Having been groomed to take over the family business since he'd been old enough to handle the glass bottles without breaking them - Memories don't come with the new life, unfortunately; this is something he's gathered from his father's many 'heart-to-heart's - Dino had spent the last five years learning the ins and outs of the profession and had become rather good at it, if his parents' words are anything to go by.

So of course, he moved to America and got a job at a rundown, shabby excuse for a pub as soon as possible. If his many lives have given him _any__thing_, it's a yearning for independence (and just maybe, a bit of a backbone.)

The pay is laughable, sure, but the owner is a prickly-on-the-outside-but-soft-on-the-inside kind of guy, and he took Dino in without any questions, his eyes alight with an understanding the blonde had so desperately needed _(still needs) _at the time. Room and board are free, at least, so he doesn't have anything to complain about, really. The monotony is even comforting, in a way.

He's moved on to taking stock of the bottles on the shelves and the contents of the kegs when he hears the chime of the bell tied to the front door signalling a new customer. He finishes his assessment quickly and then turns around to greet the new patron. It's only prior experience with such situations that keeps him from freezing in place or gaping unattractively at the familiar face. (Inwardly, he is _freaking out_.)

"I was informed this establishment serves adequate tea," Hibari Kyouya drawls in perfect English, displeasure at the lack of respectable tea vendors in this country showing rather plainly on his aristocratic face. He's clad in a black business suit worn over an indigo button up, and his hair is slightly disheveled due to the wind. Dino would guess him to be anywhere between twenty and twenty five years old.

Years later, he'll look back on this day and wonder what, exactly, he'd been thinking, opening himself up even the tiniest bit to his once-protege; then, he'll shake his head and smile, ruefully, because it had probably been inevitable. Now, however, perhaps from the sudden shock, perhaps from something else, he says, "We have green tea," despite the fact that they'd never served anything other than alcohol and that the tea he's referring to was bought with his own meager wage for _him _to consume.

"I suppose that will suffice," the mafioso (because he's sure that's what he is, new life or not) acquiesces, perching himself on the bar stool directly in front of Dino, and the bartender scrambles to find the kettle (lodged behind the spare cocktail maker in the lower cabinet) and the box of tea bags he'd purchased a few weeks ago in a fit of nostalgia (wedged between some crackers and hot chocolate in the pantry.)

Under Hibari's watchful eye, the blonde fills the electric kettle with water, plugs it in, and turns it on. One of the remaining customers then orders another beer for himself and his companion, so Dino takes care of them during the wait, very much aware of his old friend's unwavering attention. He'd considered the possibility of the others remembering something - anything - from their previous lives, but he's never asked, and no one's ever revealed as much - to him, at the very least.

He dismisses the notion when he returns to his place behind the bar and doesn't read any recognition in the other man's eyes; as unreadable as Hibari normally is, Dino would think that _some _emotion would leak through regarding something as impossible as reincarnation.

Neither of them attempt a conversation - Dino, because he doesn't even know what he _would_ say, and Hibari, because the man has never been one for small talk (especially with strangers), anyway - so the barkeep merely dries glasses until the kettle switches off. He puts away those dishes, pulls out a (_his_) tea cup, rinses it out with some of the boiling water, and places a tea bag in it. He then pours water into the cup and slides it over to the man.

"Here you go," He says, unnecessarily. "We don't have any sugar or milk, so I'm afraid you're going to have to drink it plain." The Hibari he remembers had always taken the drink that way, but a change in preference could simply be one of the alterations between lifetimes.

"Hmm," The man murmurs, as the clear water slowly changes color. The obvious dissatisfaction from earlier has given way to contemplation, and Dino is suddenly reminded that the majority of Americans prepare a sad attempt at proper tea (at least, compared to the rest of the world) and that his ability to make even a decent cup of it could possibly ensure future visits.

_Crap_, he thinks, and then realizes that Hibari works out of this country (probably), so he tells himself not to worry over nothing. The rest of the black-haired man's stay is spent in more silence, and Dino can admit, reluctantly, that the companionship is a nice change of pace. Everyone else has left by the time Hibari finishes his tea, and the blonde is simply waiting for the man to leave to close down for the night.

"It's on the house," Dino blurts out when he notices the man reaching for his wallet. Hibari raises an eyebrow at him, and he hastily explains, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly, "We don't actually serve tea here. You looked like you _really_ needed some, so I figured it wouldn't hurt to make you a cup. Besides, I don't even know if I _can_ charge you."

Embarrassingly enough, the mafioso continues to stare at him, as if trying to pick him apart and unlock all his secrets. _Good luck_, he thinks wearily. The impromptu stare down is interrupted by a shout from his manager, and Dino looks away for a moment to address the man. When he turns back around, he finds a vacated bar stool, an empty tea cup, and five dollars.

(A few days later, with burning cheeks, Dino orders a few boxes of high quality green tea from an online Japanese tea shop. He grumbles irritably to himself and mourns the loss of half of his paycheck.)

::

The next time Hibari walks into the hovel of a bar that is Dino's workplace, it's almost a month later, and the blonde has all but forgotten their brief exchange; for him, it was only one of a million interactions, and regardless, he knows how to keep his mind off of wants and regrets. (A lesser man might have gone insane; as it is, he's not quite sure he hasn't already.)

It's busier at this time of day - not as chaotic as happy hour, but still disorderly enough to distract Dino from his old friend's arrival and subsequent seating at the bar. He's just sent off the last enthusiastic patron with a mug of frosted beer when he spots the man, once again dressed to the nines and practically radiating annoyance at the crowded room.

"Hey, what can I get you?" He asks, because he's supposed to. _"What do you think you're doing, appearing in my life again?" _He doesn't ask, because that's a crazy question, and his heart is pounding hard enough as it is.

He knows the answer before it comes out of the man's mouth, but he's still marginally surprised all the same. "Green tea," Hibari requests in a tone that makes it clear it's really a demand.

"I already told you; we don't serve that here," is another thing he doesn't say. Instead, inexplicably, he nods and begins the process of boiling the water, all the while protesting to himself in his mind.

He fiddles with his bow tie as they wait, feeling slightly ridiculous wearing professional attire in such a casual, rundown pub, and envies the man across from him for looking entirely too comfortable in his formal suit before realizing how childish that is and placing his attention on the customer who walks in.

He recognizes the middle-aged man immediately, for he is one of the regulars the blonde has grown to like. Despite the graying hair, his face holds a boyish charm that makes him seem years younger, especially as he smiles and calls out cheerfully, "Dino, hey! How's it going?"

He grins back, the customer's happiness infectious, and only spares a glance at Hibari and the still boiling water before going over to greet the man. "Glad you finally decided to drop in, James," He answers back teasingly, both of them fully aware of the fact that the man stops by nearly every Friday.

"Heh, if I didn't know any better, I'd think you were looking forward to my visits." His eyes sparkle with mischief, and Dino lets out a laugh, even as he pulls out the man's usual mixture and begins mixing it together.

Winking, he divulges, "You got me." Throwing the bottle up in the air and catching it behind his back - child's play compared to fighting with a whip or any of the other weapons he's wielded - followed by a few other neat tricks, he finishes the drink and slides it over to James, bowing graciously to the cheering of the other customers a beat later.

He feels a familiar burning gaze and swivels to the left, catching piercing ocean blue eyes, and in that moment, it's only the two of them, staring at one another, and Dino gets the sudden urge to -

The trance is broken when a person at the back of the bar coughs loudly, and the blonde hastily moves to make Hibari's green tea, heart once again beating frantically. _What am I even doing?_ He muses despondently. He uses the new, higher quality tea bags (If Hibari notices, he doesn't comment on it) and places it in front of the man.

The mafioso gingerly lifts the glass to his lips and tastes it, apparently deeming it adequate. The pleasant aroma wafting from the cup brings about of a sense of longing in the bartender, and he shakes his head to clear it. He peers down at the end of the bar, and upon seeing that James has engaged in conversation with another customer, a bubble of irritation wells up inside of him. _Someone save me from this awkwardness_, he pleads silently.

"Dino, is it?" A smooth voice cuts through his thoughts, and he looks to its source. Hibari Kyouya is pinning him with the eyes of a predator, and he resists the urge to squeak in surprise. _I'm like a million years older than him, _he assures himself. _He__ doesn't scare me._

"Uh, yes?" He manages, attempting to surreptitiously back away, because that little voice inside his head isn't fooling anybody. It hits him that Hibari has just said his name, and just as suddenly, he realizes that James had practically announced it when he'd entered the room. _Damn you, James!_

Just then, Hibari's phone rings, and it must be from someone important (Tsuna, perhaps) because he gives it a look of utter disdain but still stands to leave. He pulls out his wallet, and Dino hurries to correct the situation.

"Like I said before, we don't normally serve tea here, so you don't need to pay me." He hesitates and then adds, "If you want to find a place that serves _good_ tea, I'd suggest an Asian restaurant."

The man pauses and levels him with another _look_, and Dino's treacherous cheeks heat up visibly. Hibari smirks at him, then, and leaves money on the counter before walking away, pressing the phone to his ear as he does so.

"I'll bite you to death," Dino hears the man threaten venomously just as the door closes behind him.

_Why are you so damn cryptic, Hibari?! _He bemoans to no one in particular.

::

He's out shopping one day (because he was forced to take a day off by Ben, the bar's owner; apparently, the old man had 'grown sick' of Dino's face. He interprets this as: 'you need to get out more often', which is honestly just as insulting even if it _is_ true), and his eye catches on a weather worn bull whip in the window of an antique shop.

_I'll just take a quick peek at it_, he thinks with resolve.

Ten minutes later, he walks out with a new weapon and a thinner wallet, thoroughly disgusted with himself. Half an hour later, he practices with it in his one bedroom apartment and manages to break the only lamp he owns. He hadn't expected he'd still be able to aim so well considering it had quite literally been decades since he'd touched a whip, but perhaps lessons learned from his old tutor cannot be forgotten so easily.

He works up a sweat and a tiredness in his very bones that is pleasantly familiar and yet a painful reminder of days long past. He attempts one last thing before putting the fine leather away, pulse rising in anticipation.

His hand glows a fiery orange, and Dino smiles wistfully.

::

There's a light dusting of snow on the ground by the time Hibari returns, and the entire bar is warmed by a fire Dino stokes every once in a while. The room is flooded with out-of-towners come to visit their families and locals celebrating their vacation time with cocktails and martinis, so the noise level is higher than usual.

Ben doesn't see the need to decorate the place what with the whole block lit up with Christmas lights and various other holiday trinkets, but he didn't say no to the two waitresses he'd hired (just for this busy season) when they'd asked to bring odds and ends from home. Under their guidance, the decrepit, old bar seemed less like a crime scene and more like a respectable (if not, somewhat tacky) establishment.

The girls, Stacey and Alyssa, even changed up their wardrobes to fit the season. Pointy ears, green striped stockings beneath their uniform skirts, and green hats transformed them into beautiful elves. They insisted that Dino wear antlers and a fluffy tail clipped to the back of his apron, and he capitulated, unable to bring himself to ruin their fun just because _he_ didn't feel much like celebrating anything. (After being hit by their double puppy-dog eyes, he understands why even his boss had caved to their whims.)

He's just served his umpteenth bourbon eggnog to a tipsy grandma when he hears an enthused shout of "Let's celebrate to the extreme!" that could only have come from the mouth of one person. Not a moment later, Sasagawa Ryohei steps into view, his suit ruffled and his eyes burning with excitement. He makes his way toward Dino, and it's then that the blonde finally notices the boxer's companion.

"Let's get extremely drunk, Kyouya!" Ryohei proposes as he slides into one of the bar stools.

From his own seat, Hibari reminds him, disdainfully, "I don't drink alcohol, herbivore."

"Then, why did you invite me to a bar, bastard?!" The orange-clad man demands, indignant. Dino can't help but think he has a good point.

Utterly unrepentant, his old student rebuts, "I didn't invite you anywhere; you followed me of your own accord."

"Agh! You piss me off so much!" Ryohei growls, standing up and assuming a standard boxing position. "I'll wipe that smug look of your face! Fight me, Kyouya!"

Not looking the least bit worried, Hibari says, "Stop acting like a fool. I'll bite you to death when we return to Japan."

"Alright!" He agrees and then plops back down on the stool. Abruptly, he faces Dino, who had been quite obviously watching the entire interaction, and orders in only slightly accented English, "Bartender! I'd like a beer to the extreme!"

It's only then that he realizes the exchange between Hibari and Ryohei had been entirely in Japanese, which he, of course, understands perfectly - but _they_ wouldn't know that. Dino would like to have pretended not to understand anything they'd said, but Hibari's sudden scrutiny most likely means the man knows the blonde had caught most of it, if not every word. _I'm not interesting! _He screams inwardly.

"Okay. And you?" He asks blandly, resigned to the man's complete disregard for his protests.

The smirk he receives in response is really annoying; he can feel his eye twitching. Smugly, Hibari replies, "I would like a green tea, _Dino_."

* * *

><p><strong>Notes: <strong>I don't even know what I'm writing. *flails haplessly* Nevertheless, if I ever bring myself to finish this, it'll be posted as a one-shot. Let me know if you want to see more!

_(Why is romance so hard to write? *sobs inconsolably in a corner*)_


	12. When I Doubt, You're My Belief

_**"Can anything be sadder than work left unfinished? Yes, work never begun." **_

_**- Christina Rossetti**_

* * *

><p><strong>Story: When I Doubt, You're My Belief<strong>

**Summary: Sakura goes back in time via a super secret time-travel-y jutsu and strives to save the world and all that good stuff - only this time around, "she" is a "he." Parody. Time Travel. No Pairings.**

**Category: Naruto**

* * *

><p><strong>I.<strong>

"-and the members of Team 7 are Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke... and Haruno Byakuran," Iruka manages to get the words out with only a brief hiccup, and none of the students realize anything is amiss. He patiently counters Naruto's increasingly petulant protests, all the while eying the boy's teammates with no small amount of wariness.

He hadn't had much of an input in the team assignments, unfortunately. His own reports about their academic performances and temperaments and what not had been collected throughout the year, of course, and the higher ups had certainly taken them into consideration. Ultimately, however, the decision was up to them, and he can spot their influence all of over _this_ team's makeup.

The last Uchiha, the jinchuuriki, and the civilian prodigy – On paper, it sounds like the ideal team. With Sasuke's Sharingan and clan techniques, Naruto's overwhelming chakra and loyalty to the village, and Byakuran's intelligence and competence, Team 7 _should _have the potential for greatness.

"But Sasuke-teme is just gonna drag me down! And Flower Boy doesn't ever _do_ anything! How am I supposed to become Hokage like this, Iruka-sensei?!" Naruto bellows, pointing accusingly at the aforementioned boys. Byakuran has his nose buried in an advanced book (on medical jutsu, of course; the kid's been studying techniques far above his peers since he'd joined the Academy), and Sasuke has his patented scowl directed firmly at the window. Neither of them seem to be paying any attention to Naruto's perceived crisis.

Resisting the urge to rub his temples to ward off the oncoming headache, he frowns at the boy and points out sternly, "The Hokage has to be able to work well with _every_one, Naruto – not just the people he likes. You're never going to have your face on that mountain if you can't even do _this_ without acting like a child."

The boy's face falls – and Iruka feels a twinge of guilt; he'd only _just_ gotten Naruto to open up to him – but his grin is back in full force as he declares loudly, banging a hand on the desk, "Alright! I don't care _who's_ on my team 'cause we're gonna be the best! And _I'm _gonna become Hokage one day. Believe it!"

Sasuke snorts derisively, and Kiba begins to taunt him while the others simply roll their eyes at his big words. Iruka smiles fondly at him, inwardly wondering at _his_ ability to pretend this kid wasn't just a normal, hardworking student for so many years when it's so blatantly obvious. He grimaces as the room is overcome with bickering and quickly regains control when he threatens to hold them back in his class for another year.

He smiles brightly at all of their worried, little faces – almost all of them, that is. Naruto, frankly, looks outraged. Sasuke has turned his death glare up to maximum power. (If the boy ever makes it to jounin, Iruka _might_ be inclined to quiver in his sandals. For now, he simply finds it adorable, if not humorous.) Byakuran, however, is simply regarding his peers with barely concealed amusement.

Iruka moves onto the rest of the teams, but he continues to muse over the topic of team 7. On _paper_, it's the wonder team of the entire graduating class, even including the other two teams comprised of future clan heads. In _reality_, the three of them are more likely to fail their sensei's test or - if by some miracle, they manage to pass – be utterly incapable of completing _D-Ranks_. Sasuke is entirely too haughty and full of himself to deign to work with the other two, Naruto will probably spend most of his time picking fights with Sasuke, and Byakuran will most likely ignore the both of them and focus solely on his own training, as he is wont to do.

It's a walking disaster, and Iruka _almost_ pities the fool who has to deal with them – only considering what fool it _is_, he's more concerned about his students' well-beings, which, honestly, says it all.

Clearly, the Council is plotting the destruction of its own village or, at the very least, attempting to drive its people into insanity.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: "Byakuran" means "White Orchid", by the way. (I kind of stole it from Katekyo Hitman Reborn. Sorry not sorry. xD) The idea is that Sakura goes back in time, but she somehow changes gender in the transition. Sound familiar? It happens to Naruto in fics all the time. I don't ever read those, actually, but I still kind of wanted to see one where it happened to Sakura. Also, she's born with her dad's white hair, hence the name.**

**Anyway, this one's probably going to be a one-shot (_if I ever get around to it_) 'cause I have enough on-going fics on my plate as it is. And even as I'm posting this, I'm falling out of love with this 'style', so the final draft might be completely different, even if the idea is the same.**

**Let me know if you want to see more! (For any of the fics on here, of course!) :D**


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